The present invention relates generally to disposable plastic containers of consumer products, and specifically to packages designed for small, liquid-impregnated disposable paper or other absorbent sheets generally known as "wet wipes". Wet wipes are impregnated with a liquid which is intended for safe use on the tender skin of babies, and are usually supplied in a stack of folded sheets. Stacks of folded wet wipes are provided in a plastic tub-type container having a hinged lid which should be closed soon after the withdrawal of a wipe to retard evaporation of the liquid and the subsequent drying out of the wipes.
As any parent or other care provider of infants well knows, the successful changing of a baby's diaper is often a challenging task. During diaper changing, the baby is often upset, and simultaneously with intense crying, commonly kicks violently and squirms to escape the scene, if capable. Accordingly, the individual faced with the task of diaper changing commonly must keep one hand available for holding the baby, and the other for exchanging the fresh for the soiled diaper as well as wiping the baby's bottom.
Conventionally available containers for wet wipes are normally provided with hinged lids which seal to the tub with a releasable friction fit, both to retard evaporation and also to reduce the cost of manufacturing. Unfortunately, these same lids are often very awkward to open when only one hand is available. Since any delay in opening the wipes container prolongs the anxiety of diaper changing, both for the infant as well as the individual changing the diaper, frustration builds rapidly with conventional wipes boxes.
Another drawback of conventional wipes boxes is the inability to quickly grasp the box with one hand for movement from one point to another in the changing area. Such movement is often necessary for bringing the wipes within easy access of the diaper changer, or away from the inquisitive hands of an older baby.
Also, in the case of toddlers who are being toilet trained, and who often have limited strength and/or fine motor skill development, the difficulty in opening the wipes box often adds another obstacle to the already frustrating and daunting task of independently carrying out bodily functions without the use of diapers or the help of an adult.
In my commonly-assigned U.S. Pat. No. 4,892,220, I disclose a container for wet wipes boxes which is provided with semicircular formations on the lid and tub portion to serve as finger holes. The configuration of that patent is designed to be opened with one hand, preferably the thumb and forefinger. In practice, it was found to be somewhat awkward to quickly and properly insert the thumb and forefinger. Also, the prior latch configuration did not provide a formation for lifting the entire container, even when filled with wipes.
Consequently, a principal object of the present invention is to provide a tub-type container for disposable wipes having a latch which is readily and quickly operable with one hand.
Another object of the present invention is to provide a tub-type container having a latch which may also be used to lift the entire container using one hand, without opening the container.